One of the unique features of this learning center is that the office and classes are a family affair and have a very local flavor.

The owners and executive directors of the Sylvan Learning Center are Christopher and Helah LeBoeuf. Christopher was born and raised in Lutcherand is a graduate of St. Charles Catholic High School. Helah was born inIsrael but was raised in Thibodaux.

Both are certified teachers and received their education degrees from Nicholls State University. Christopher taught for three years in St. Johnand St. Charles parishes. For the past four years he has worked aseducation director at the Sylvan Learning Center in Monroe.

Helah has taught in Lafourche and Assumption parishes and just earned a degree in pharmacy from the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

Christopher and Helah met and married while working at the Sylvan Learning Center in Monroe, and after she got her pharmacy degree they decided to buy a Sylvan franchise and come back to the River Parishes.

“We wanted to move back here,” said Christopher. “Sylvan had this area upfor sale, and I knew the area and the people, so it was perfect.”Christopher’s parents are also employees at the center. Michael “Chris”LeBoeuf, Christopher’s father, is the center director. He too is anexperienced and certified teacher having taught in St. James Parish for 11years. Christopher’s mother, Maureen, is the office manager for thelearning center and was a teacher’s aide in Title I in St. James Parish.Though the office and classes are finished, Helah’s father is also putting down the floor tiles in the kitchen and bathroom and has helped out with the construction.

There are over 800 Sylvan Learning Centers across the country and even more in Europe. Christopher believes the success of Sylvan can beattributed to way it teaches children. From its patented U-shaped desks totheir reward system, Christopher believes Sylvan offers a student “a nurturing, positive learning environment.”Every student who comes to Sylvan is first given a two-hour test that determines their level in three core subjects, reading, writing and math.

“We are looking for a level in which to start the student,” said Christopher. “We find a level they are good at and work from there to givethem a sense of success. As we go along the student realizes he cansucceed, and we then can catch up to the level he is in at school.”Sylvan tries to fill the skill gaps in the student’s history, and bring them up to speed.

Christopher said, “A student may not understand algebra simply because he never understood fractions several years before. So we teach the studentabout fractions, and then algebra.”Christopher said when a student comes to Sylvan a child usually doesn’t feel very successful. Both the student and the parents have given up.”We help to build their motivation and the self-confidence,” said Christopher.

According to Christopher, this is done in several ways. The teacher-to-student ratio is never larger than 3 to 1. Christopher said the ratio isusually 2 to 1 and this gives a the student real access to the teacher.

Then each curriculum is personalized for each student according to their entrance test. Teachers praise the students constantly. Finally, teachersreward students with special tokens for showing up, doing their assignments and for just trying to improve themselves.

These tokens can be redeemed in the Sylvan Store where a student can get things from pencils and school supplies all the way up to gift certificates at area malls.

“Kids find Sylvan fun,” said Christopher. “Yes, it is a routine, but it is a funroutine.”For example, in the reading room for the very young student, the doors are closed because these students tend to make a lot of noise. That isencouraged. Not only do they read books, but they are introduced to lots ofmaterials that show them the fun of reading. They do activities such aswriting on the desks, with non-permanent markers, of course.

“They need that multi-sensory learning.” said Christopher. “They need toknow that learning is more than just paper and pencil.”In the next couple of months the LeBoeufs hope to offer several other courses. Because of the great demand from parents, Christopher will soonbe offering algebra, study skills, and academic writing. He also wants toget courses for preparing for the ACT and SAT exams.

Though there are no specific courses to help students with the LEAP test, Christopher said Sylvan centers around the state have talked informally about how to help with LEAP.

“I personally know kids who did well on LEAP after being with us,” said Christopher. “Also, there are kids who failed LEAP the first time, came tous and then passed the exam.”Christopher said Sylvan will work with any child, no matter what the problem. They have worked with children with attention-deficit disorder,dyslexia, memory problems and even cerebral palsy.

“This environment is perfect for kids with ADD,” said Christopher, “because of the structured, one-on-one instruction. Kids with ADD justdon’t have the time to lose their focus.”Christopher stressed that all teachers at Sylvan must be certified by the state. In the next couple of weeks, the LeBoeufs hope to have a faculty ofsix teachers helping out students in the River Parishes.

“We’ve had a great response,” said Christopher. “Even before the sign wentup, we had people calling us.”Right now there are 15 students at Sylvan, a lot of them who were commuting to the learning center in Metairie. Classes will officially startnext week.

For more information, call the LeBoeufs at 651-0449 or 1-800 EDUCATE.

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